ABSTRACT
By the age of thirty-six, Maria had reached the highest rank in Christendom as Holy Roman empress. Maria’s daily life, like that of most women of her status, was relatively monotonous and repetitive. The field in which the empress excelled most during those years was marriage, the primary focus of inter-dynastic relations. Maria’s experience in organizing royal households was undeniable and therefore she took the lead in designing the entourage which would accompany Ana to the Iberian Peninsula and Elisabeth to the French border. Maria took advantage of the room for manoeuvre which was rightfully hers with regard to her household, family relations, and contacts as empress, although it was often subject to the interests of her relatives, who expanded or reduced it according to the circumstances. After almost three decades of marriage, Maria’s role in dynastic politics was determined by the relationships established through her bonds with Maximilian.
